Walking the talk at Expo 2020

26 December 2021
Spotlighting pavilions that are inspiring change at the Dubai festival

Since its launch on 1 October 2021, Expo 2020 has served as a space to spark conversations and motivate generations.

Every participating nation and organisation at the megaevent has brought to Dubai a unique message, with the aim of encouraging positive change through their exhibits.

Here is a look at some of the pavilions that are walking the talk when it comes to enabling conversations:

Tales of empowerment

The Solutions Room at the Women's Pavilion highlights global initiatives enabling women to thrive

In collaboration with international jewellery brand Cartier, the Women’s pavilion highlights the integral role that women have played in shaping societies throughout history until the present day. Highlighting both male and female achievers, the pavilion is designed as a space for meaningful discussions in women empowerment and gender equality.

 

Engaging children and youth

The ‘Skills of the Future’ zone at the Dubai Cares pavilion features six futuristic space pods that have an intelligent simulator system

The Dubai Cares pavilion features interactive exhibits designed to share its core message of learning with children, youth and educators. Various zones within the pavilion convey this through the use of digital screens, virtual reality headsets and interactive activities. Visitors are also encouraged to participate in the Dubai Cares movement and learn about the ways in which they can make a difference.

 

Collective change

The Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme has funded 140 initiatives from 76 countries after receiving more than 11,000 applications

Designed to inspire its visitors, the Good Place pavilion is a space that showcases change-makers selected under Expo 2020’s Expo Live programme. The pavilion, designed by Emirati architect Ahmad Abdulrahman Bukhash, highlights the work of grassroot innovators funded by the programme’s $100,000 grant, including Picha Eats (Malaysia), WheeLog (Japan) and Meet My Mama (France).

 

A digital way of thriving

The interior of the Estonian pavilion is inspired by data clouds and the basis of Estonian e-solutions: X-Road

The idea behind Estonia’s presence at Expo 2020 is to promote the positive impact of e-solutions. Digital is said to be in the DNA of Estonians. By spotlighting key innovations from home, Estonia hopes to enlighten visitors on the transformative power of digital development to create forward-thinking, inclusive communities.

 

The future of living

In ‘Campus Germany’, visitors follow a ‘curriculum’, enabling them to deepen their knowledge as they go

The German pavilion is keen to encourage awareness of solutions to challenges facing cities globally. The pavilion includes 36 creative exhibits linked to sustainability, grouped in “labs” dedicated to the topics of energy, cities of the future and biodiversity. Three themed areas – the Energy Lab, Future City Lab and the Biodiversity Lab – are designed to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability both for today and tomorrow.

 

Circular systems

Visitors to Terra are taken on a journey telling the story of humankind’s relationship with nature

The Terra pavilion anchoring the Expo’s Sustainability district is a technological and architectural marvel. Its central 440-feet wide steel canopy hosts more than 1,000 solar panels that, along with the 18 ‘energy trees’ surrounding it, can generate up to 4 gigawatt hours of power a year. The energy generated is currently used to power the structure’s cooling systems, water harvesting and recycling. Terra will stay behind in District 2020 as a science and learning museum.

 

Uniting water, energy and food

Visitors are handed umbrellas that turn into projection screens illuminated with how the Netherlands pavilion was created

In a bid to display innovative solutions in water and energy technologies in the agriculture sector, the Netherlands pavilion is centred around a circular, sustainable ‘biotope’. The structure, dubbed as a harvesting machine, collects water from the surrounding air, energy from the sun using solar panels and grows mushrooms within the cone. Moreover, materials used in the pavilion are largely organic and most of it will be reused post the Expo.

 

Harnessing data and expertise

The DP World pavilion is aiming to open the world of trade and logistics to high-schoolers to expand their career choices

The DP World pavilion is designed around the theme of ‘making trade flow’. The pavilion allows visitors to explore the movement of commerce around the world as a basis for the global economy. It also highlights solutions that improve the efficiency and agility of logistics networks, including a replica of a Hyperloop pod. The pavilion will stay behind in District 2020 as an education institute.

 

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